Box-fastener.



' No. 633,269. Patented Sept. l9, I899.

l. H. MOORE. BOX FASTENER.

(Application filed Kay 25, 1899.)

(No lludal.)

I I Hdiigc 552 s I 199291.013

E @Afi'orgz ys,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

'IsAAc HOLLAND Moons, on HAYS, KENTUCKY.

BOX-FASTEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 633,269, dated September 19, 1899. Application filed May 25, 1899- Serial No. 718,200. (No model.)

To all whom} it may concern.-

Be itknown that I, IsAAo HOLLAND Moonn, a citizen of the United States, residing'at Hays, in the county of Warren and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Fastening Device for Shipping Crates, of which the'following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in fastening devices for shipping-crates.

The object'of the present invention is to improve the construction of fastening devices for shipping-crates and to provide a simple, inexpensive, and durable one designed especially for use on egg-crates and capable of enabling the lid orcover to be readily removed and replaced without injuring either the body or the cover.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claim hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of an egg-crate provided with a fastening device constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig 2 is a side elevation, partly in section. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional View of one end of the eggcrate. Fig.4 is a detail perspective view of the wedge-shaped block or catch. 7

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

l designates an egg-crate provided at its ends with horizontal cleats 2, arranged on the exterior, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3 of the accompanying drawings, andlocated a short distance from the upper edges of the body and provided each with a central opening adapted to receive a resilient loop 3 of a cover 4, and thesaid opening is formed by recessing the cleat 2 at its inner face. The resilientloop,which is substantiallyU-shaped, is constructed of steel wire or other suitable material, and the terminals of its sides are embeddedin a cleat 5, arranged on the lower face of thecover, at the end thereof, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The ends of the sides of the resilient loop are extended through the cleat 5 and are .bent outward to form arms 6, which are interposed between the cleat 5 and the inner or lower face of the cover,

1 whereby the loop is securely fastened to the same. The loop. is secured to the cleat 5 before the latter is fastened to the cover, and by the construction shown there is no liability of the loop accidentally pulling out. The lower portion of the resilient loop depends below the cleat 2 of the body of the egg-crate, and it is engaged by a beveled or wedge-shaped block or catch '7, secured to the outer face of the end,8 of the crate and having its upper end or apex extending into the opening formed by the recess of the cleat 2. The block or catch is provided between its ends with a shoulder 9 and is recessed or cut away at opposite sides of theshoulder, which is rounded, as shown, to conform to the coufiguration of the engaging portion of the U-shaped loop. The lower portion of the outer face of the block or catch is inclined below the shoulder, and as the engaging por tion of the catch projects outward beyond the plane of the longitudinal wall of the recess of the cleat 2 the latter supports the loop and assists in holding it in engagement with the shoulder of the catch or block, and there is no liability of the loop accidentally becoming disengaged from the catch or block.

The device enables the cover to be rapidly placed on and removed from the body of a crate, and in applying the cover the loops are introduced into the opening formed by the recesses 2 and the cover is pressed downward, the lower ends of the loops sliding on the inclined outer faces of the blocks or catches until they spring into engagement with the'shoulders 9. The lower ends of the loops are adapted to be readily swung out of such engagement by the thumb or finger, and the cover may be readily lifted off of the body of the crate. The cleat 5 of the cover is recessed or cut away at its upper edge at 10 to provide a handhold.

The invention has the following advantages: The fastener, which isapplicable to all kinds of shipping-crates, is simple, inexpensive, strong,'and durable, and is positive and'reliable in operation. It will enable the cover of a box to be readily placed on the body of the same and removed therefrom, and there is no liability of it becoming accidentally unfastened. The cleat of the body, which is provided with a central opening to receive the loop of the cover, supports the latter and operates to hold the same firmly in engagement with the shoulder of the catch or block. The ends of the loop, which are bent outward, are interposed between the cleat 5 and the lower face of the cover, and there is no liability of the loop accidentally pulling out.

Changes in the form, proportion, size, and the minor details of construction within the scope of the appended claim may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

\Vhat is claimed is In a device of the class described, the combination of a box or crate, a cleat 2 secured to the exterior of the box or crate and provided with a vertical opening, a cover, a tapering block mounted on the exterior of the box or crate and extendinginto the said opening and provided with an inclined outer face terminating at its lower end in a shoulder formed by recessing the lower portion of the block, and the U-shaped spring-loop secured to and depending from the cover and extending through the opening of the cleat 2 and engaging the shoulder of the block, the outer wall of the opening of the cleat 2 depending vertically and forming a bearing adapted to engage the spring-loop and hold the same firmly against the block, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ISAAC HOLLAND MOORE.

Vitnesses:

EDWARD BLAND, M. Cox. 

